September 2012 MMA News Archive

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Add another name to the list of light heavyweights who didn't want to fight Glover Teixeira. Rashad Evans simply wasn't ready but he thinks he will be by January or February. The list of light heavyweights who wanted nothing to do with a fight against recent Octagon debutant Glover Teixeira just keeps growing and growing. The latest name to add to the list is former division champion Rashad Evans, who revealed as much on the UFC on FUEL TV 5 post-fight show last night (Sept. 29, 2012) when asked about his future and when he'll be returning to the cage:
"I don't know. I talked to Dana [White] early this week and we talked about maybe December. But I'm thinking maybe January or February. I will fight anybody. I want to get a fight at light heavyweight. They offered me a fight, but it was against Glover Teixeira and I only had three weeks to fight and I haven't been training. I was like, ‘no way, not with that notice in Brazil.'"
Rashad on Twitter
Rashad Evans ?@SugaRashadEvans
I will fight anybody with the proper notice.. But after 8yrs with the UFC & being one of their top earners. Y would I take a bad fight?!
Rashad Evans ?@SugaRashadEvans
Bad fight meaning not being in shape. Losing is hard enough but I will never serve myself up! If I'm haven't been training I won't fight!
Rashad Evans ?@SugaRashadEvans
I know alot of u fans may not realize but I don't walk around ready 2 fight. No one does. In this sport it takes at least 8wks 2 b ready!
Rashad Evans ?@SugaRashadEvans
Fighting another person is much harder than most ppl think & if im not training it takes time 2 get ready. There r no easy fights!

Brad Pickett, Matt Wiman, Stefan Struve and Stipe Miocic each earned $40,000 bonuses for their performances at Saturday's "UFC on FUEL TV: Struve vs. Miocic" event.
Pickett earned the "Knockout of the Night" award, Wiman won "Submission of the Night" and Struve and Miocic picked up "Fight of the Night" honors.
UFC officials announced the winners and bonus amounts following the event, which took place at Capital FM Arena in Nottingham, England. The event's main card aired on FUEL TV following prelims on Facebook.

For British slugger Dan Hardy, fighting in front of his hometown crowd was truly a dream come true.
However, Hardy was focused on channeling the emotion of the moment into a positive outcome rather than the disappointing result he suffered in his most recent appearance in his native country.
"Sometimes if I let my emotions get the best of me, technique goes out the window and I just want to see who's got the best chin," Hardy said. "I didn't want to take that risk again in my hometown."

At just 24 years old, Dutch heavyweight Stefan Struve said there is still plenty of time for him to earn a UFC title shot.
But at 6-1 in his past seven fights – and with all six of those wins coming via stoppage – the 7-footer may find his name called sooner rather than later.
In the meantime, after earning a "Fight of the Night" win over the previously undefeated Stipe Miocic at Saturday night's UFC on FUEL TV 5 event, Struve has another name in mind: Fabricio Werdum.

From top to bottom, Dana White was a big fan of how UFC on FUEL TV 5 had turned out.
It was the promotion's debut in Nottingham, England, and mid-week, the UFC president said he could throw a dart at a board and that fight could wind up being the "Fight of the Night" winner.
After Saturday's card, White's early feelings were confirmed. That is, until he was reminded of one fight in particular.

NOTTINGHAM, England – Dana White thought he had Daniel Cormier's next opponent all set up. Instead, it was back to the drawing board.
Cormier (10-0 MMA, 7-0 SF) was scheduled to fight former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir (16-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC) in about a month in Oklahoma City. But Mir dropped out with an injury, and White and the Zuffa brass went to work on his replacement.
White thought it was going to be Matt Mitrione (5-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) – but the UFC heavyweight turned down the fight earlier this week.
"It f---ing makes me sick," White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on Saturday following the UFC on FUEL TV 5 post-fight news conference. "Listen, you don't want big opportunities, I hear you. I get it, then. All I can say is, I guess he doesn't want big opportunities. I get it. Duly noted.
"He wants to fight a guy who weighs 205, but doesn't want to fight the guy who's the real heavyweight, the legitimate guy who's ranked. And Mitrione's not getting any younger."

Saturday's UFC on FUEL TV 5 card drew an announced attendance of 7,241 fans for a live gate of $970,000.
UFC officials announced the figures at the night's post-event news conference, which MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) attended.
"UFC on FUEL TV: Struve vs. Miocic" took place at Capital FM Arena in Nottingham, England, and was the UFC's debut in the city. The main card aired on FUEL TV following prelims on Facebook...

Nick Catone (9-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) apparently has his next fight.
The veteran middleweight today announced via Twitter that he's slated to fight T.J. Waldburger (15-7 MMA, 3-2 UFC) in December at The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale. Officials, though, have made no formal announcement.
The TUF 16 Finale takes place Dec. 15 at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Friday announced the appointment of Garry Cook as its Executive Vice President and Managing Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Cook, 50, has an impeccable track record of business success throughout his career. He joined Nike in 1996, rising to President and General Manager International of Brand Jordan in 2005. During his tenure at Nike he held a wide range of management positions from overseeing the licensing of Nike Team Sports in the US to leading the pan-European commercial strategy for Nike apparel EMEA...

Longtime UFC lightweight contender Clay Guida (29-13 MMA, 9-7 UFC) is headed to a new weight class.
The fighter has opted for a drop to the 145-pound featherweight division, his representatives from VFD Sports Marketing today announced.
A debut date and opponent have not been confirmed for his UFC debut in the division, but a rep told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) it'll likely come after the new year...

Ultimate Fighter 16 coach Shane Carwin has suffered a minor knee injury that will prevent him from traveling on a scheduled trip to England this week, but he will still fight at The Ultimate Fighter 16 finale against Roy Nelson.
Carwin first reported the knee injury on his Twitter account saying, “ATTN UK Fans: I hurt my knee training and I will not be able to make the signing with the amazing people @FearlessUK.”
Carwin’s manager Jason Genet of Ingrained Media told MMAWeekly.com that he injured the knee while in wrestling practice, but he suffered no major tears or damage to the knee.

A light-heavyweight bout between ex-champs Lyoto Machida (18-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) and Dan Henderson (29-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is still in the works, UFC President Dana White today said.
"We're still working it all out," said White, who did not give a timetable for the proposed fight.
The matchup is widely expected to have title implications. But according to White, it's become suddenly difficult to find a title contender for current champ Jon Jones, who recently notched his fourth straight title defense...

Brian Stann thinks he beat Michael Bisping, doesn't want to fight 'up-and-comers'
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By Jesse Holland ON SEP 26, 11:30A
Tom Szczerbowski-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire
UFC Middleweight Brian Stann admits bias, but still believes he was the better man against Michael Bisping at the UFC 152 pay-per-view last week in Toronto.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) eliminated yet another contender from its middleweight title race following a unanimous decision win for Michael Bisping over Brian Stann at the UFC 152: "Jones vs. Belfort" pay-per-view (PPV) event last Saturday night (Sept. 22, 2012) at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
There's just one problem.
The "All American" believes it was he -- not "The Count" -- who did enough to deserve the decision. And as he told the UFC on FUEL TV post-fight show (via MMA Torch), he's not the only one who feels that way.
"[I'm] disappointed obviously. Dana came back after the fight and told me he thought I won the fight. Of course I am going to be biased, I was in there and I thought I won. I have to take an analytical view. I knew it was going to be close, but I thought I won the fight. I think I could still fight the good contenders, I don't think I go back to fighting the up and comers. I think if I get two big wins in a row, I can get right back to a fight that means something. There are a lot of us to who have gotten there, fall down and then come back. That is what I have to do."

Nick Diaz never has been one to go down without a fight.
An attorney representing the Ultimate Fighting Championship star filed a motion Wednesday in a Las Vegas courtroom seeking a review of a disciplinary order made against Diaz by the Nevada Athletic Commission after a hearing in May.
Keith Kizer, executive director of the NAC, said he thinks this is the first time a fighter has challenged an NAC disciplinary ruling in a courtroom in his nearly 15 years with the commission...

Despite a promised title shot after an impressive showing against Ryan Bader at UFC on Fox 4, Lyoto Machida is now out of the immediate title picture. He spoke with Globo Esporte on a number of topics, including UFC 152 and his desire to fight welterweight king, Georges St. Pierre, at middleweight.
Lyoto Machida, one of the top Light Heavyweight Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) talents, was recently on the cusp of receiving a much desired rematch with current champion, Jon Jones. After his impressive knockout of Ryan Bader at UFC on Fox 4, he was promised a title shot against the winner of the Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson fight that was scheduled for UFC 151.

Was there a Jiu-Jitsu fan that didn’t jump out of his seat when Vitor Belfort slapped that armbar on Jon Jones?
Countless practitioners “pulled” along with, tugging on an imaginary appendage to help the black belt coax the tapout from Jones; but the champion was one tough nut to crack. What followed was a barrage of elbows and frontal and spinning kicks that wore away at the Brazilian’s resistance, ultimately putting him away by americana lock in the fourth round.
But why didn’t that armbar pay out?
“It was bending backwards, in so tight. I think two things were missing: to bring the knee in when doing the armbar, and to hug the leg to work the sweep. Then Jon Jones really wouldn’t be able to defend, because he’d be swept,” Gilbert Durinho, Vitor’s Jiu-Jitsu coach, weighed in.
But from the photo taken behind the scenes afterwards one could tell the hold took its toll. The champion with his arm in a sling showed just how much damage was done. The loss doesn’t matter too much, what counts is Vitor’s grit.
UFC 152
TORONTO, CANADA
SEPTEMBER 22, 2012